Living Villa Cappelli

So, full warning, this is not a happy podcast.  But I just wanted to say a little about Paul and thank you all for your support.   For those of you that don’t know, Paul Cappelli passed away this year after a short battle with cancer.   From all of us at the Cappelli family — Steven, Connie, Nikki, Casey, and Logan — we want to thank you all of you so, so much for all your support.   His creative, amazing, loving, and bigger-than-life spirit and love for all things Italian will live on in everything we do at Villa Cappelli.  Forever.   Thank you.

We take a lot of pasta names for granted.  Sure, we all enjoy “spaghetti,” but do you know what it means?  How about “penne” or “fusilli”? In this podcast, we talk about the names of various pastas.  And in many cases how the name describes the shape. If you want to see actual pictures of the various pastas, check out all the pics in the show notes. Also, at the end the podcast, we give you a few cooking tips on pasta.

The title pretty much says it all.  We talk a little more about the coronavirus in Puglia and how Italians are dealing with things.  Luckily the medical system here is very good. We talk Caremongering.  A wonderful movement started in Canada.  Essentially, it is a movement encouraging acts of kindness or assistance, especially to help vulnerable people, during tough times, like the COVID-19 pandemic. And while it’s not an Italian expression, the sentiment is totally Italian. Typically Caremongering revolves about starting your own local Facebook group.  The more local, the better, like smaller towns or regions or neighborhoods in big cities. Typically, posts are divided between two main topics: #iso and #offer. #iso posts are for people "in search of" help, whereas #offer posts are for people offering help. For example, someone posts they are #iso toilet paper, and a neighbor can drop some off on their porch. So, since we are spread wide and far in this group, feel free to start your own local Ca

Not much in the way of show notes for this episode guys. And this might be a trend as we focus more on putting out good audio, and not so much on the show notes, so we can do more podcasts. This episode, we catch you up with what life has been like with the coronavirus here in Italy, and more specifically, Puglia. It is definitely a strange time, but very manageable and fine from our perspective. Do you have a question you'd like answered? Anything we didn't cover? Let us know in the comments. And we'll give you updates very soon in the next podcast. Stay safe everyone! Wash and sanitize those hands!

In this episode, we try to give you a bit of behind the scenes look at what it’s like to run a villa, especially from the tour and vacation rental aspect. We cover all sorts of topics, including: •  Breakfasts, as far as what we serve and why a simple breakfast is never a simple breakfast •  Laundry.  Again, while for most a load of laundry here and there during their week is a normal chore.  There’s nothing normal about it when you have 10 bedrooms of sheets and towels to wash each week.  Plus, you have to head down to hang them up to dry, which is another trip in and of itself. •  Meals.  How we design meals and cook them, with and without guests.  If you’ve ever made a big holiday meal for your family, you probably have some idea the amount of work that goes into that.  So when are cooking for say 15 to 20 people each day, the chopping, cooking, and cleaning all add up. • Touring.  Paul is the man who drives everyone around on tours.  So after breakfast, he’s driving everyone to the next site and leading t

In this podcast, we catch you up on the projects we’ve been doing at the villa during our “off time” without guests.  From major new interviews to unexpected construction, we’ve had a lot going on.   Topics we cover:   • Paul’s interview on CBS Sunday Morning about olive blight in southern Puglia that is destroying a lot of olive trees   •  Here are some excerpts from the written story: Olive trees don't just dot the landscape in Puglia, Italy; they define it.  They are so important here, in the heel of Italy's boot, that locals use words like "patrimony" and "cultural heritage" when describing them. But what is worrying olive growers here is a disease that's killing olive trees by the millions. Paul Cappelli, who'd been an advertising executive in New York City until a few years ago, left his job and moved to a home on the ancient Appian Way surrounded by olive trees, and entered the oil business. "Not the Texas oil business; I'm in the real oil business!" he said. It's a dream come true, with a nightmare be

Have a big milestone birthday coming up?  Or perhaps an anniversary?  Perhaps you’re just looking to travel with a large group of family and friends.  Then booking a villa in Italy might is the perfect way to celebrate with family and friends.  Here are just a few of the reasons you should book an Italian villa now!   1. It’s more affordable than you think When you stay in a villa in Italy, it will feel like you’re living in luxury, but it’s very affordable.  Definitely more affordable than a hotel or resort. According to Lonely Planet travel site, even a midrange hotel room in Italy will cost you upwards of 200 Euro a night.  At a four or five star hotel, it will be 250 Euro or more.  A villa rental however usually averages to 99 Euro a night per room.  That’s a 60% savings!  • Meals • alcohol • Parking, etc. Bonus tip:  It’s not uncommon to ask guests to chip in when joining you for this amazing celebration.  They will also have an amazing holiday, you are just arranging it all. You don’t have to pay for it

In this podcast, we take a dive into the culinary world and explore where there is a lot of “fake food” out there. From doctored extra virgin olive oils and grated cheese to wine and balsamic vinegar, we give you the real news on fake food. Topics we cover: •  How we’ve had a few podcast fans visit this year, including Kendra and her new business:  www.vida.wine •  How often we don’t realize the wool is being pulled over our eyes in regards to food. Here’s a list.  Do you have others?  Let us know in the comments. Extra Virgin Olive Oil •  The corrupt world of extra virgin olive oil and the struggles we face with that. It is definitely a fake food most times. •  This book covers this topic extensively.  Check it out: Extra Virginity •  How by Italian law that even if the olives come from a different country, as long as the oil is bottled in Italy it is allowed to be called “Italian Olive Oil” •  How producers from Tuscany come down to Puglia and buy Puglia olives, then bottle extra virgin olive oil in Tuscan

We move outdoors to sit among the olive trees for our second part of our interview with rock ’n’ roll royalty Jenny Boyd.  We talk music, creativity, and her book It’s Not Only Rock ’n’ Roll. Topics we cover: •  We talk about Jenny’s second husband •  The British invasion •  How Brits saw America a land of opportunity •  What musicians drive was during the creative process, what they experience when writing a son •  What part drugs and alcohol played in the creative process •  If they believed everyone has the potential to be creative and how to express yourself •  How they musicians are just like normal folks •  How the Beatles never knew their music would live on and be so popular for so long •  How they came from very simple lives in Liverpool •  How Jenny’s new book is a memoir of her life growing up in the 60s and 70s with all these musicians •  How George Harrison was most influenced by their experience in India •  Carpool Karaoke with Corbin •  The reason some groups have stayed together or come back t

We are finally back after a very very very busy summer.  But we couldn't resist making some time to sit down with one of our guests, Jenny Boyd, and talk to her about creative and music and her book It's Not Only Rock 'n' Roll. Topics we cover: •  We introduce Jenny Boyd, a recent guest at Villa Cappelli •  She wrote the book It’s Not Only Rock and Roll  Click here to get a copy. •  How Paul grew up with the music Jenny had a first-hand account of this music •  How Jenny is a part of rock and roll nobility if you will •  How music today doesn’t have the same social relevance as it did in the 60s and 70s •  We wonder what has changed, why aren’t artist tapping into the zeitgeist like that used to •  They really had no idea that it was going to be such an important time and that music would be such a big part of it. •  The Beatles were like the first boy band •  Jenny was married to Mick Fleetwood of Fleetwood Mac •  How Jenny and Mick meet •  Pattie Boyd is Jenny’s sister, who was married to George Harrison of

Another quick catchup episode, talking about spring in Puglia, our new dogs, our spring projects, and other odds and ends of life in our villa in Puglia, Italy. Topics we cover: •  How we lost our dog Orso recently •  And how we decided to get some new puppies •  Mina came to us from a farm in the Mugia •  Mina is a girl, which is what Paul wanted •  Mina is also a Maremmano, here’s a little about that breed: - An Abruzzo sheepdog - Used for centuries by Italian shepherds to guard sheep from wolves - They have a solid, muscular build, a thick white coat, a large head and a black nose - The coat is thick and long and forms a thick collar (or mane) around the neck •  How Mina was terrorizing the casts, so we had to get Mina a playmate •  He is half Maremmano and half Dogo Argentino, though he looks all Dogo Argentino •  He has very distinct markings, and after a lot of suggestions from our Instagram friends (link), Logan came up with the name Duke •  A little about his breed: - A large, white, muscular dog d

After a long hiatus (we were super, super busy), we are back with a podcast catching you up on everything that’s been happening since we last broadcast. Have a subject you’d like us to cover, let us know in the comments. Topics we cover: •  Our experience being actors in August [caption id="attachment_2164" align="alignleft" width="225"] Our ugly beards![/caption] •  How we had to grow our beards out in the middle of a heatwave in August •  Our experience on set and the characters we played •  How hot it was on set •  Why we got to name our characters with our real names       •  Paul’s family from the Fresno California area that visited •  How Paul’s uncle refused to come back to Italy when he was 16 and instead went to Chicago and then Fresno, where he settled and had kids.  Michael is his grandson •  How his cousin did come back to Italy eventually for an arranged marriage •  How many of the Terlizzi descendants still live in the Fresno area •  And the other areas they have settled as well •  How all immig

If you're seeing this before September 9, 2017, you're in luck and can still enter our amazing Eat Happy Sweepstakes! Just click here to enter If you're seeing this after the fact, please sign up for our mailing list on the right or below this post so you can be notified when we have another sweepstakes!   Below is the list of prizes and sales copy if you are interested. Win over $700 in Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil, food, and cookbooks! Prizes include: An autographed copy of Anna Vocino's best selling cookbook Eat Happy  ($34.95) One half-hour phone consultation with star cook Anna Vocino ($150) Two 3L tins of pure Villa Cappelli EVOO ($199.98) One 500mL bottle Villa Cappelli EVOO ($24.99) One 500mL bottle of Organic Villa Cappelli EVOO ($34.99) One jar of Villa Cappelli Bay Leaves ($9.99) One 500mL bottle of Artisinal Red Wine Vinegar ($12.99) Two Villa Cappelli Spaghettata Spicy Spice Blends ($13.98) Two bags of Villa Cappelli 100% Italian Sea Salts ($15.98) Two bags of Villa Cappelli Italian Herb Sea S

What do we think Italians do better than anyone?  Find out in our list below.  But first, a couple of notes. While some of you finding this post will read through this as a blog post, please note these are podcast show notes where Paul and Steven discuss their thoughts on the 21 Things Italians Do Better.  So hopefully you’ll listen to the podcast as well, so any nuances come through. Also note, when we say Italians, we mean Italians living in Italy.  Not Italian-Americans.  While a lot of these apply to both, this is meant to be our observations of Italians living in Italy. So without further ado, here are 21Things Italians Do Better. 1. Food and Cooking Food is so personal and subjective, steeped in tradition.  So while I’m sure many might argue that there are other amazing national cuisines out there, many would agree Italian food is amazing. The secret could be a couple of things.  Most notably, the fact that they eat very seasonally.  Thus the flavors are all very fresh and delicious, at the height of th

In this episode, we catch up with some renovations happening at the villa and Paul’s adventure in local small town Italian politics. Topics we cover: •  How we added three new bathrooms upstairs •  How we saved a lot of time and money by using existing sewer pipes instead of adding in new ones and new construction to our first floor •  How Paul loves using Farrow & Ball paints •  Paul’s explanation between dyes and pigments •  Impressionist paintings •  One villa guest who stayed with us, Natvar Bhavsar who used pigments in his painting •  Paul’s adventure in politics •  Three strange rules (strange to us) that exist in Italian elections •  First off there were 290 candidates for 17 city council seats •  One reason is each of the parties, of which there are many, they have to nominate a certain number of people in order to be considered a “list” or a “party” •  All these parties then form coalitions, there were three this election nominating three men for mayor •  The next rule that was strange was the fa

Kenny White — the pianist, singer/songwriter, producer and arranger — has been in the NYC recording scene for decades.  And lucky for us, he recently blessed us with a concert at Villa Cappelli. So we took the time to sit down and get his thoughts on the current music scene, his creative process, and even play a few songs. Topics we cover: • How Paul and Kenny met in the advertising business • The Coke commercial that Paul and Kenny worked on: • How Paul wanted a 60 piece orchestra for the spot and Kenny then had to write a piece for 60 pieces which he had never done before • How Kenny had to stay up to write the song and miss his wife’s birthday • A film had never been filmed at Rockefeller Center before • Getting through the bureaucracy is by schmoozing people • How people are buying vinyl again • Kenny is doing a tour of his latest album Long List of Priors • The countries he's toured, including Belgium, Holland, Germany, Sweden, Denmark, England and Italy • The title comes from the song “A Road Less Trav

In this podcast, you’ll learn all about Paul’s hunt for wild asparagus, some tips on how to cook asparagus, and what to look for when buying it in the store. Topics we cover: •  How much wild asparagus Paul as been picking Wild Asparagus. Much thinner than the cultivated kind. •  Why Paul goes picking on Thursdays •  Two ways to cook the asparagus If you steam them or use a “wet cooking method,” they will taste more “green” and grassy While if you roast them or use a “dry cooking method,” they will take more “meaty” •  How you can cook them/steam them very easily in the microwave using the below method: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/steamed-asparagus-recipe •  When Paul worked on microwaves for GE, the best uses for microwaves •  Paul recipe a pasta cooking the wild asparagus with some mussels, garlic, onions, parsley, and tomatoes •  How you pick the wild asparagus, pinching them off a picking them from the fields •  How asparagus goes well with shrimp •  A bit about our KTM chil

To start with, this should probably have a major subhead: "15 Strange Things Italians Do that are strange to Americans." Because I'm sure they are not strange to any Italian or even other parts of the world. But to two Americans, these are a few of the weird things we've noticed Italians do. Know any others?  Let us know in the comments.  And don't forget to share this with family and friends who might get a kick out of it. 1. They don't wear seatbelts or use baby seats Not sure if this is a macho thing? Or they believe it's safer because you can, I don't know, throw yourself from the car? Whatever the reason, they almost refuse to do it. To keep the car from beeping at them, they will either buckle the seatbelt behind them in the car. Or, they will actually carry around an extra buckle, just a buckle with maybe a little strap on it, so they can put that in the latch to stop the car from beeping. It is against the law and you will get a ticket if you are stopped, so don't try this when visiting. Is this only

After a long hiatus, we are back to give you updates on happenings at the villa from record snow storms to our latest guests.  But most importantly, the amazing experience we had — and hope to continue to have — with a guest chef at Villa Cappelli. Topics we cover: We hosted our annual Thanksgiving dinner at the villa where we cook the turkeys in the wood burning oven Why Italians love our mashed potatoes Our guest chef Teresa who we had visiting us for a month and half How we started our special international food nights at Villa Cappelli Our Teresa, from Pasadena, California, found us through our friend Hillary How this lead us to want to develop a program at the villa A chef can come and stay at the villa for a week or month or whatever works and help us create these special events If you are interested or know anyone who might be interested, please send them to our Facebook group Villa Cappelli Guest Chef or email us info@villacappelli.com Some of the first special night's drinks included: Villa Cappell

Enjoy our interview with our recent guests 10-year-old Geneva and her father Austin, who are traveling the world together. Topics we cover: An introduction to Austin and Geneva who made Villa Cappelli a pit stop on their world tour Austin is single father traveling with his daughter Geneva who is 10 years old The most recent cities they've visited after traveling for a year and a half Whether our not they are in the witness protection program Geneva was born in NY She's been to 31 countries at the ripe old age of 10 What her favorite country is (or does she have one?) What Austin's favorite countries are The country that Austin believes everyone should visit (and surprisingly it's NOT Italy).   We should have kicked him out of the villa right then. How Austin decided to home school Geneva a couple of years ago based on the advice of one of her teachers It was difficult in the beginning, but now Geneva works with her father to design her curriculum Austin really wants her to be curious and to know herself If